


AkiMitsu Week 2021

by MisfitKitten



Category: Persona 3, Persona Series
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-23
Packaged: 2021-03-25 19:33:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30094038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MisfitKitten/pseuds/MisfitKitten
Summary: My one-shots for AkiMitsu Week 2021!Day 1: Vacation/Parents&FamilyDay 2:Healing/RescueDay 3:Stand by Me/ Kirijo DogDay 4:Dance/Your TouchDay 5:Alternate Universe/RoyaltyDay 6:Dreams/One Day I'll Fly AwayDay 7:Free Prompt Day
Relationships: Kirijo Mitsuru/Sanada Akihiko
Comments: 2
Kudos: 27





	1. Parents & Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The most important thing about starting a relationship is meeting the parents.

Regardless of whether there was an actual mission or not, Mitsuru usually had a Shadow Operatives’ meeting on Thursday. They mostly consisted of everyone stopping in and reporting that nothing was going on because Mitsuru would handle most of the missions herself. On paper, that is. Unofficially, Mitsuru would not admit that she just wanted to check in with her friends.

Akihiko had been going to as many of these meetings as he could, partially as an excuse to get out of college, and partially because he was worried about Mitsuru. While the others would take time off of work and school, Mitsuru was nearly always in her office. She had taken that Golden Week “P-1 Tournament” thing as a failure and was trying to recoup perceived losses. If it wasn’t for these meetings, he’d never see her at all. He suspected the others felt the same way.

Sure enough, when Akihiko arrived at the Kirijo mansion, he found nearly everyone there, squabbling as usual.

“I’m not ordering lunch for you people if you cannot stay on task for five minutes,” Mitsuru warned. Free lunch was usually the only way to get everyone to shut up. “Thank you. Now, Amada is busy with school, so we’ll fill him in later. The first order of business is-”

The door flew open, and Kikuno came in looking anxious. “Milady.”

“What is it, Kikuno? We’ve barely just gotten started.”

“I’ve just gotten off the phone with your mother.”

“Mother?” Mitsuru dropped all formal pretenses. “How is she?”

“She has been traveling for experimental treatments, and hoped to rest here before returning home,” Kikuno explained. “She will be here shortly.”

“Wh-she’s coming here?? Now?? Kikuno, I...I need to reschedule my meetings!” And that was the end of this meeting as Mitsuru promptly forgot the Shadow Operatives were there. It wasn’t like Mitsuru to be so nervous.

“Senpai has a mom?” Junpei whispered, confused.

“Most people do,” answered Yukari.

“She never talks about her,” Fuuka was looking at the heiress as if she were scanning with her Persona, “I just assumed she had passed away or something.”

“Mitsuru’s parents separated years ago.” Akihiko remembered how tense Mitsuru would get at any inquiries about her “parents”, and how quick she was to change the subject. “Her mom’s not in the best of health, so she lives somewhere quieter.” Mitsuru had always idolized her father and sought to emulate him as if he was her only parent. Was Mitsuru anything like her mother? “She’s just...not a subject of conversation.”

Mitsuru finally realized she wasn’t alone as she flitted around the room. “You’realldismissedI’llseeyounextweek!” she blurted out.

“What, we don’t get to meet your mom?” asked Junpei.

Mitsuru stopped dead, her eyes nearly bulging out of her head as his words sunk in. Okay, sure, they were a little rough around the edges, but even Junpei could try to behave in front of people, especially someone as important as a friend’s parent. Was she that afraid of her mom meeting this motley crew...or of them meeting her?

“I’ll consider it,” she said at last, running out of the room.

* * *

As the others argued, Akihiko decided to hunt down Mitsuru. He was met with Kikuno instead. “Akihiko-san, I am sorry, but I must ask you to stay out of the way while Madame is arriving.”

“Yeah, sure, whatever. Look, is Mitsuru all right?”

“I am sure she’s just worried about her mother’s condition.”

“It’s that bad?”

Kikuno stopped and spun on her heel to face Akihiko, staring him down with a look even Mitsuru would have wilted under. “Madame Hanae is very frail. One must take great care when speaking to her **not to upset her** _ **in any way**_.”

“Gotcha.” It was a damn good thing Kikuno never had a Persona.

Mitsuru finally surfaced, absolutely gorgeous in a stiff black kimono, her hair done up in a traditional bun. The servants flat-out ignored her as Kikuno ordered them around. She looked so lost that she didn’t even notice Akihiko until he approached her.

“Oh, you **are** wearing a shirt!” Had she really not noticed until now? Wait, was she... _hugging_ him?

“Hey, I do **own** shirts! Give me a little credit,” he joked. Mitsuru hugging him of her own volition was weird. “Look, if your mom’s up to traveling, that should mean she’s okay, right?”

“It’s not that.” Here she actually looked frightened. “I...I never told her that I’ve assumed control of the Group.”

“Is that a problem?”

Before Mitsuru had a chance to answer, the herd of servants stampeded towards the door. “Oh, she’s here!”

“Hey. Stay calm.” Akihiko took advantage of Mitsuru’s mood to hug her back briefly. “She’s your mother – she’ll love you no matter what, right?” Mitsuru did not look reassured. “I’ll make myself scarce,” he added. Mitsuru looked even less assured. Akihiko retreated to one of the parlors, but could not help watching from the doorway to get a glimpse of the kind of woman that could give birth to Mitsuru.

All that hubbub eventually tapered off as a servant wheeled in a chair containing a small but regal woman. She sat as straight as she could in spite of her pale complexion giving away her condition. The entire staff dropped to their knees in reverence. Even Mitsuru was bowing.

“Mother, it’s wonderful to see you.”

“Mitsuru,” Her voice was clear, if weak. “You look well. I am sorry to show up so abruptly.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Mother. This is still your home.” Was he imagining it, or did Mitsuru’s voice waver? “How are you feeling?”

“Madame, perhaps you should retire to your room and get some rest. You’ve had a long trip, after all.” Kikuno's nose was nearly touching the floor. Akihiko had thought she was devoted to Mitsuru, but she seemed to completely dismiss her now that her mother was present.

“Nonsense. I’ve just arrived and I want to catch up with my daughter. Kikuno, we’ll be having tea in the drawing room.”

“As you wish, Madame.”

The procession moved past Akihiko, with Mitsuru trailing behind. Akihiko tried to catch her eye and give her an encouraging thumbs-up, but she looked like she was being led to a firing squad.

* * *

About an hour or so later – after Akihiko had managed to get all their friends to leave through lying, redirection, and flat-out threatening – he found himself walking around the grounds, lost in thought. Mitsuru’s mother had no idea what she had been doing for the past three years. Was it really because she was so sick? Surely she’d want to know how her husband’s company was doing? Mitsuru had graduated from college and wasn’t married – what did her mom think she was doing? Did she know that Mitsuru had friends? Did she know about Shinji? Makoto? _**Ikutsuki?**_

His wanderings had taken him around the side of the house and before long, Akihiko noticed that he’d picked up an echo – an unsteady clink that sounded like an android foot unsure of where it was going.

“I was unaware that we had company.”

She was shorter than he’d assumed, shorter than Mitsuru, even. A strong will in a weak body, Hanae Kirijo held Akihiko's gaze without any fear, in spite of her cane being the only thing keeping her from hitting the ground.

How wrong he’d been, to assume Mitsuru got her commanding presence from her father.

“Kirijo-san,” Akihiko prayed his voice wouldn’t shake as he bowed, “I apologize for that. I’m sure Mitsuru was a little too preoccupied to remember, as well.”

She noticed the lack of honorific, but she was smiling slightly. “You must be Sanada-kun.”

“I’m Akihiko Sanada, yes.”

Her smile widened. “Mitsuru speaks of you often. I am glad to see that my daughter has someone reliable in her life.”

“I try, ma’am. Mitsuru...well, she’s gotten much better at asking for help.”

“She’s so very much like her father.” Hanae wavered a bit at the mention of her late husband, and Akihiko weighed his options. Would she be offended if he suggested going back into the house? He did not want to be caught encouraging an invalid to jog around the perimeter. Instead, he offered his arm. Hanae looked surprised at first, before nodding in approval and accepting. “I had hoped to save her from his fate...and so did he.”

“Kirijo-san?”

“When my husband died,” she began, “he was aware that Mitsuru was still very much a child, in spite of her age and intelligence. When we spoke – **if** we had the chance to speak – we both shared the same goal; to exorcise Mitsuru of the harmful spirits that have plagued Kirijo since the very beginning. She had a bright future ahead of her. She was free of the family yoke.”

The other shoe finally dropped. “He didn’t leave her the company.” Mitsuru had lied to her mother. No wonder she was worried about her dropping in unannounced. She could have walked in on a conference call and ruined everything.

“I know Mitsuru is strong-willed...but these were Takeharu's last wishes, and she’s gone against them. How could a child who loved her father so disobey him in the end?”

“It’s because she loves him that she did it.” Akihiko blurted out, realizing too late that it may have been a rhetorical question. The idea of Mitsuru being bratty and spoiled was just ridiculous to him. Who on Earth would **want** to run a company that kept you pulling your hair out 24/7? “Look, I don’t know how well you knew Ikutsuki, but...we’ve just finished dealing with a bunch of drama that’d been going on right under your husband’s nose, and for all we know, that wasn’t the last of it. These guys running the show, they’ve made ‘Kirijo’ a dirty word, and it bothers Mitsuru because it’s all she has left of her father, and they’re dragging it through the mud. She’s been working hard to change that. You’re right, she’s stubborn – but it’s one of her best qualities and I love that about her...sometimes,” he chuckled. Mitsuru was going to kill him for this, but he just couldn’t stop talking. “Sitting back and doing nothing just isn’t Mitsuru. She’d take on the world for someone if they mattered that much to her. We can’t stop her from working herself to death. All we can really do is support her.”

Hanae was quiet. “I see,” she said at last – another trait Mitsuru had subconsciously picked up from her.

“Mother?” Mitsuru herself came running out of the house, breathless. “Mother! I’ve been searching everywhere for you! You’ve had the whole house worried sick! You shouldn’t be overexerting yourself like this.”

“Child, I am fine. I needed some fresh air. Besides, I would not have met Sanada-kun otherwise!” For a sick woman, Hanae sure had a death grip on his forearm. “He is very charming, isn’t he?”

The look on Mitsuru's face defied description.

“But I suppose I should reassure poor Kikuno that I am still alive and well. And perhaps we can have a late lunch. Won’t you join us, dear?”

Akihiko could barely stand under the weight of BOTH Kirijo women staring him down. “O-of course,” he managed, “After you, Kirijo-san.” If he was going to get Executed, he might as well have a last meal first. Mitsuru was still staring at him, no doubt wondering what he and her mother had talked about. “See, I told you everything would be fine!”

She took the arm her mother had been holding. “So you did... _ **dear**_.”

OUCH, that was going to leave a mark!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The only information we have on Hanae Kirijo is that she lives in Kyoto and she’s very sick. This all comes from the audio dramas that were only released in Japan.  
> Also, the drama reveals that Takeharu Kirijo deliberately left Mitsuru with no shares in the company; he made it a point to leave her with her freedom. In all of my stories, I usually have Mitsuru seize control of the company because she doesn’t like what unscrupulous businessmen are doing with it. I don’t believe her mother would be on board with that.  
> Anyway, Mitsuru’s formal look is inspired by some sweet fanart of her that I need to find again...


	2. Healing/Rescue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akihiko gets injured in a…personal place. The designated healers don’t want to go there, so who’s left with some healing spells that doesn’t mind possibly getting intimate with Akihiko? Hmm…

They were spread too thin, that was the problem. Spread too thin and out of practice.

The Shadow Operatives had volunteered to patrol the TV World in Inaba while the Investigation Team members were in school. Their leader had returned to Tokyo, after all, so they were devoting themselves to their studies...well, most of them. Teddie was a necessary nuisance because only he could create an exit. He promised to behave, however, and having an extra ice user would take some of the burden off of her, leaving her to take on the necessary strategizing. After 200+ floors of Tartarus, Mitsuru was sure they could navigate these “dungeons” with ease.

That was her mistake.

Firstly, the decision to use the TV they’d found in the junkyard in order to attract less attention was a poor one. It dispersed them all to different areas, meaning Yamagishi had to struggle to guide them all back towards one another. Amada was in school as well, which meant they were down one healer and one electrician. Akihiko paid no mind to this as usual as he charged ahead, but Yukari was constantly engaging in Persona arithmetic and cautiously rationing their supply of healing items – meaning everyone was tired and accumulating chip damage. Midway through, Aigis took severe torso damage and bowed out early, leaving only Mitsuru, Akihiko, Teddie, Labrys, Yukari, and Iori...who had apparently neglected to keep up his training. Great. There went their only fire user (Koromaru had made himself scarce, devoted to monitoring Amada. A noble pursuit, to be sure...but infuriating).

Making matters worse was that the dungeon they’d first come upon was modeled after a sauna for some reason. A hot, steamy, muggy, oppressive steam room.

_**Why?** _

Mitsuru **hated** heat. Muddling through hot weather made her sluggish and irritable. The boys were quickly getting on her nerves and if Yukari kept acting peevish, she was going to just keep her limited healing skills for herself and leave them all to fight over the last Bead. Teddie had gone two-dimensional from the heat as well, and his whining was giving her a migraine. The Shadows were all nimble, and letting your guard down for even a second left you with multiple cuts and scratches. Keeping your distance was key, which meant those with weapons fared much better than those without.

“Those without”, in this case, included Akihiko.

If she hadn’t been exhausted, perhaps she would have noticed sooner. She could have cautioned him if she’d felt more charitable, but by this point, Mitsuru was sick and tired of Akihiko’s recklessness and decided he could fend for himself. He nearly did...except he was also tired. She heard a shout of pain, Akihiko fell, and she feared the worst. But Akihiko got back up, and appeared none the worse for wear. They managed by some miracle to turn the tide and beat back enough Shadows to make their retreat.

No one had been spared. Mitsuru’s suit had protected her from most of the attacks, but there were scratches in a few places, and they throbbed and stung as she happily took a few breaths of cooler air. Iori’s shirt was soaked through with sweat and blood. Yukari had crosshatch marks all over her forearms from when she was forced to beat Shadows over the head with her bow after the string snapped. But Akihiko…

“Uggggh…I may have...lost something back there…”

Akihiko was limping, his left side bloodied. He tried to make it to the limo, but gave up and collapsed against a pile of garbage.

“Akihiko!”

“Senpai, are you all right?”

“AAAAAkky!!! You look beary bad!”

“Something definitely took a chunk out of me,” Akihiko panted. Then he grinned, as if trying to play it off. “Got it back with interest, though.”

“Ah, he’s fine,” laughed Iori.

“Looks like he can barely walk to me,” argued Labrys. “That’s a lotta blood. Where’d ya get hit?”

Akihiko’s face paled, and for a moment, Mitsuru was worried he was bleeding out. “Yeah, um…” Was he embarrassed? They’d all been seriously injured at one time or another. It was crucial that they find the source of the bleeding as soon as possible so they could heal him before it was too late.

Labrys didn’t seem to notice as she moved closer. “Oh, I see! Looks like you got stabbed right in the-”

“THIGH!”

Akihiko’s sudden outburst caused Iori to double over with laughter. Teddie, too, seemed highly amused for some reason.

“I wasn’t gonna say ‘thigh’, though.” Labrys looked as confused as Mitsuru felt. What was so hilarious about thighs?

Yukari swatted Iori, though her face was as red as a beet, and Yamagishi gasped and declared, “This is serious! They may have hit an artery!” Now that was indeed alarming. Where were the major arteries located again? Neck, heart, wrist... _ **oh**_.

Now Mitsuru’s face was red as well.

“Thigh”, indeed.

Mitsuru realized that everyone was staring at her – including an Akihiko who somehow still managed to blush in spite of the blood loss – and tried to keep a straight face as she declared, “We’ll need to stop the bleeding right away, then.”

Yamagishi had now joined the blushing party. “Someone will have to...apply pressure?”

_I’m sorry, did you just suggest grabbing Akihiko by the... **thigh**? _

Akihiko blanched. “Wait, wait-wait-wait, who’s pressing?” Everyone just looked at one another.

“Well, the-the robots would have the most grip strength,” said Yamagishi – and Iori simply fell to the ground, his entire body shaking with silent laughter.

Even poor Akihiko cracked a smile. “Don’t count on it,”, he muttered. Then he yelped as Labrys reached down and grabbed hold of him with no hesitation whatsoever. “URK! _LabrysIthinkthat’senoughpressure!_ ” His eyes nearly popped out of his head.

“Whoa! Labby-chan!” Teddie’s eyes were a perfect match. “I like a lady who just helps herself,” he purred.

“Great. Now I’m dying of **embarrassment** ,” quipped Akihiko, “much better than blood loss!”

“Actually, uh,” Labrys never did understand embarrassment, but she may have finally recognized it in others, “Feels like there’s some foreign material lodged in yer...thigh. That’s gotta come out before healin’.

Akihiko looked around before groaning. “Aw, right; one of the damn things snapped my machete in half.”

“Why did you even have a machete?” asked Yukari.

“Well, clearly, it was an elaborate ruse to get a free prostate exam from Labrys!”

Yukari was nonplussed. “Should you really be joking right now?”

Thunder rumbled from above. “It appears that a storm is approaching,” said Aigis.

Before Mitsuru could stop herself, she opened her mouth and replied, “Either that, or it’s Shinjiro.” Oh, dear lord, what had come over her? Thank goodness Amada wasn’t here!

An awkward moment passed before Akihiko...cracked up laughing, drowning out Yukari's scandalized “SENpai!” “You’re loving this, aren’t you, you bastard?” he chortled. “Never gonna let me forget I’m the dumbass who got shanked in the-”

“Senpai, you need to be healed quickly!” Yamagishi reminded him. “Um...Yukari-chan?”

Yukari choked on nothing. “WHO, ME?”

“You’re our healer.”

“Okay, putting aside the fact that I’m exhausted and out of energy...this is NOT what I signed up for!” She looked around frantically. “Teddie! You’re a guy...kind of!”

“WAAAAH!” Teddie shrieked. “I don’t wanna get to know Akky like that!”

“Well, we don’t have any more dedicated healers. Who else has some healing and hasn’t used it all up?” Yukari looked around a bit before settling on…Mitsuru.

Everyone was suddenly looking at Mitsuru.

_**Including Akihiko.** _

Oh, no, no, no, no, no.

How did it come to this? On the one hand, Akihiko was in desperate need of medical attention, and she could not sit by and lose another dear friend. On the other hand...she was now the envy of every girl at Gekkoukan because she could legitimately say she’d gotten into Akihiko Sanada's pants.

Mitsuru took a deep breath and looked upward. “Not one word,” she said firmly.

* * *

Getting Akihiko into the limo was difficult for many reasons. Neither of them wanted an audience, however.

“So…” Akihiko allowed his nerves and pain to show now that they were alone. “You come here often?”

“Quiet, you.” Mitsuru was not going to give him the satisfaction of knowing she was nervous as well. She fumbled with her Evoker. “I honestly thought the broken rib would have stopped you from being so reckless, but no, you just have to dive in over your head, don’t you?”

“That’s me,” he said ruefully, “balls to the wall.”

The Evoker fell from her hand. “OH! Why did you have to say that?” That did it. All of Mitsuru’s conflicting emotions – fear for Akihiko’s life, amusement at his predicament, embarrassment at being forced to perform such an intimate maneuver – exploded into hysterical laughter. The fact that it was a horrible pun made it even funnier.

He laughed as well. There were very few people Mitsuru was comfortable laughing with, and Akihiko was one of them. In truth, it had been a long time since they’d been able to laugh with one another.

She missed this.

“Oww,” Akihiko stopped laughing and winced.

“I’m sorry!” Now was not the time for jokes and reminiscing. She needed to be mature about this. All she had to do was remove any fragments from Akihiko and heal him. Simple enough, right? “So...how do you want to go about this?”

“If I take my pants off in front of you, are you going to Execute me?”

“Considering the circumstances, no.” What was she so nervous about? She had seen diagrams of the male anatomy in textbooks before! Then again...it wasn’t bloodied and life-sized and currently attached to her oldest living friend. There was no way this would not be awkward. This was going to be an extreme test of their relationship.

Akihiko began to painstakingly undress himself, and Mitsuru decided to retrieve her Evoker while he did so, hoping it would help. She tried to make her face as impassive a mask as she could. No doubt Akihiko would be watching for a reaction as he exposed himself to her. He seemed oddly accepting of this. Why hadn’t he insisted Teddie heal him? Was it her maturity and familiarity? Or something else?

Thumps on the outside of the car distracted them. “What’s taking so long?” they heard Yukari wail.

“Yuka-tan thought you two’d be quicker-AAAAH! OKAY I’M SORRY, DON’T KILL ME!” Damn you, Iori! She was already struggling not to laugh as it was!

“Hurry up, it’s raining out here!” The others were getting impatient. Sure enough, drops of water were collecting on the windows.

Akihiko lost it again. “Shinji's laughing so hard he’s crying.”

“Yes, I am sure he saw this coming from a mile away.”

“Funnily enough, this wasn’t in any of his scenarios, no.” Wait, what? “Y-you know what, why don’t I explain that later when you don’t literally have me by the balls?”

“...fair enough.” This car was going to need deep cleaning, and she **still** might not want to sit in it after that. “Please hold still, or you might never have any children.” Okay, she was going to have her Persona at the ready, remove the machete shard in one swift movement, and quickly cast a healing spell before things got worse.

Or she was going to get distracted by the juniors, lose her nerve, and castrate Akihiko.

Either way, it would soon be over.

Akihiko hissed in pain as the air hit his injury, and...it did look horrible. Fortunately, right next to what appeared to be Labrys’ handprint was a glint of something metallic. Mitsuru summoned (Artemisia did NOT need to wear that expression!), gingerly reached down (Don’t think about it don’t think about it just do it!), and plucked the metal from Akihiko’s _oh-I-wish-I-didn’t-know-what-the-word-scrotum-meant!_ Akihiko yelped at an octave she’d never thought he could reach, and she gave him an extra Diarahan as an apology.

“Oh, I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Are you all right?”

“Y-” Akihiko was shivering, and she prayed that he wasn’t still bleeding. “Your hands are always gonna be cold, aren’t they?” He was doing his best to smile.

Mitsuru tried to return one.

The limousine nearly shook. “It’s beary quiet in there! Did you fix Little Akky yet?”

The look Akihiko shot in Teddie’s general direction had Mitsuru laughing all over again. She had managed it. Akihiko was going to live, and he’d may need an actual doctor after this, but she was certain he’d be functional. They’d done their best to keep the awkwardness between themselves – and really, wasn’t that where it always was? Any friendship that could weather one removing shrapnel from the other’s crotch and remain stronger than ever was worth holding onto.

Another scandalous thing escaped Mitsuru. “Shall I correct him?”

Akihiko turned seven shades of red. “Don’t give them any more to talk about than they’ve already got.” He began the arduous task of dressing himself when a thought occurred to him. “So, does this mean we’re even now?”

Mitsuru had nearly forgotten the circumstances behind that very first Execution. She’d honestly never planned on seeing Akihiko naked in return, but if it helped him deal with this… “Yes, I’d say we were,” she agreed.

Akihiko gave a huge sigh of relief. “Pretty sure you’re not going to screw up and accidentally get speared through the boob.”

“Well, if I do, you’ll be the first to know.”

He froze.

“Akihiko? Is something wrong?”

“Nope!” His face was red again. “Everything’s working just fine!”

“OH MY GOD, WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING IN THERE?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just couldn’t resist. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
> 
> I was going to have Ken in Teddie’s place, but I don’t think he would have refused to help, no matter how awkward it was. He still has guilt for letting Shinji die, after all – AND he’s more mature than most of the other Operatives.


	3. Stand by Me/Kirijo Dog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A dog is loyal, a dog is lovable. A dog obeys his master’s word. But can a dog overcome its nature and walk like a man?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, if Mitsuru loses to Shadow Akihiko in Ultimax, he’ll say, “How’s it feel having your hand bitten by your own dog?” People give Akihiko flak for being what they perceive as too devoted to Mitsuru, who they see as all punishment all the time. I think this bothers Mitsuru more than she lets on.

Finally, it was over. After a harrowing escapade that included kidnapping, crucifixion, emotional torture and a gauntlet of Persona-users, the P-1 Climax and the Shadow Operatives’ adventures in Inaba had drawn to a close. To say they were exhausted would be putting it mildly. It had been hell on earth – and this was a group of people who had experienced Tartarus!

With his friends around him and the adrenaline rush still going, Akihiko had given very little thought to how they must have looked...until they jumped out of a TV set into Junes and were suddenly surrounded by people who pointed, gawked, and pulled out their phones. Whoops. You didn’t have these kinds of problems with the Dark Hour.

Once they’d gotten away and started heading back to the hotel, Akihiko just had to laugh. “That was fun,” he quipped. He’d fully expected a glare from Mitsuru – but the rest of the team gave him one instead.

“Senpai...” Yukari began, but she didn’t seem to have the energy to go on.

Ken picked it up. “I think you have a very different definition of ‘fun’ than the rest of us, Sanada-san.”

Mitsuru didn’t say anything, and Akihiko worried she’d retreated into her head. The entire time they were in there, the blame was laid on Kirijo. But Minazuki was full of shit; Mitsuru didn’t know he existed, and they were just as wronged by Ikutsuki as he was. She needed to stop taking on guilt that wasn’t even hers.

At last, the limo. Everyone had the same idea as they crawled in and collapsed onto the seats. Even the robots seemed to be making creaky noises.

“Welp,” Junpei stretched out his nonexistent muscles, “Time to get back to the daily grind, I guess. Those kids aren’t gonna coach themselves.” He looked at his phone. “Oh, yeah...I never did get that charger.”

“I still can’t believe you somehow managed to get to the right town in the wrong way, Junpei-kun,” Fuuka giggled, “Only you would have that kind of luck.”

Akihiko tuned them out so that he could watch Mitsuru carefully. He wondered if she realized she was biting her lip – a cute (though he’d never tell her that) little thing she did when the thoughts she was lost in were troubling. _Even after all that, she still won’t let us know what’s wrong,_ he thought.

He’d thought Mitsuru was somewhere else entirely until she suddenly spoke, loud enough for only him to hear, “I suppose you think so as well.”

“Nah, I was thinking about protein,” he said, watching some of the tension leave her shoulders. “Why? What did you want me to think?”

He’d meant it as a joke, but the tension returned, along with a wince. He’d said the wrong thing. It was no secret that Akihiko tended to go where Mitsuru sent him. Kids had been saying that since middle school. But what they never seemed to understand was that without her, Akihiko was directionless. He had goals, but he kept running into walls trying to accomplish them. Mitsuru had become his compass, and because of that, he vowed that he would help her whenever she asked – _**especially**_ since she hardly ever asked!

Akihiko followed her out of the car, and saw his chance when she stopped right before the hotel. “Come on, tell me,” he urged gently.

She met his eyes for a moment, and really looked as if she wanted to tell him...but then she looked beyond him, puzzled. “That man looks vaguely familiar for some reason,” she said instead.

Some guy in a suit was fumbling with a phone and some documents in front of the hotel, looking lost. He happened to look up at the right time, and he had the same look on his face Mitsuru did. “That **is** you, isn’t it?” he said. “Kirijo. Wow, time sure flies, huh? You probably don’t remember me since we haven’t seen each other since the fifth grade.”

“I’m afraid not, but I seem to have made quite an impression on you.” This was Mitsuru’s “politely asking who the hell are you” voice. People came up to Mitsuru all the time since she was a very recognizable person, but they usually just wanted to leech off her or flirt with her on a dare. Most of them gave up when she stared them down.

This guy didn’t. “Hisakawa. I sat behind you in Advanced classes and always lost to you in debates?”

“Ah! Well, it certainly **has** been a while! You’ll have to forgive my memory lapse. Those were…difficult years. Regardless, I’m glad to see you are well, Hisakawa."

“You, too.” He looked her up and down. “Have I, uh...interrupted you in the middle of something?”

“My friends and I are just ending a...very full day before returning to Iwatodai.” There was no way to actually explain what had just happened to a civvie. “What brings you here?”

Instead of answering her question, however, Hisakawa was eyeing the Shadow Operatives. “Interesting group you’ve got here-is that an ax?”

“Oh, this? Uh…” Labrys hadn’t been around long enough to create a cover story. “Nah, it-it’s a prop. It ain’t real or nothin’. I was going with Yukari-san here, for her show. I’m playin’ the bad guy, see?” Good thing robots didn’t sweat. “I mean, who goes around carryin’ an ax in public, right? Ha-ha...”

The moment Labrys began talking, Hisakawa’s nose turned up. “Your friends are from Kansai? Is this an exchange program?” He laughed. “Do...I...need...to...speak...slower?”

“Well, ‘scuse me for livin’! Where’re _**you**_ from, wiseguy?”

Aigis stepped up as soon as Labrys began to retort. “Sister, do not cause a scene while representing Mitsuru-san.”

Mitsuru’s face remained impassive, but her eyes hardened. “Was there something in particular you wanted?”

“Nah, this was enough. Wow. What happened to you, Kirijo? I mean, I heard your dad died and all, but hanging out in shanty towns with...what the hell kind of company are you keeping?”

“These are my friends, as I’ve said.” Politeness went out the window as Mitsuru stood firm. “I don’t see what business it is of yours to criticize them.”

Akihiko stepped up to Mitsuru’s side – not too close, just enough to show he was supporting her.

Hisakawa gave him a glare. “I mean, look at **this** guy, he’s bouncing around like he’s got ADHD or something. Can’t afford a shirt, buddy?”

Akihiko had come a long way. He really had. But he was tired, and something about the way this guy came out swinging pissed him off. Mitsuru was also tired and already weighed down by something she didn’t want to put into words. She didn’t need this shit right now.

“Akihiko,” Mitsuru began, both as a beginning and an appeal to Akihiko not to give into taunts, “is the dearest friend that I have ever had. He’s worth more to me than you could possibly comprehend. I would lay down my own life for him if necessary...because I know for certain he would do the same for me in a heartbeat. He is the only man I trust implicitly and I could not be prouder of him. My life is all the richer for having Akihiko in it.”

Akihiko was stunned. Mitsuru had never spoken about him like that to anyone! All that yelling, all that Executing...she really felt like this?

Was she blushing?

The others were just standing there in surprise, so Akihiko decided to earn his glowing praise. “We’re done here. Come on.” Thankfully, no one wanted to make him look stupid in front of an asshole after all that. He put a hand on Mitsuru’s arm, hoping she couldn’t tell how angry he was getting. “Mitsuru.”

“I have nothing left to say to you, Hisakawa.” Mitsuru turned so swiftly that her hair whipped behind her like a blade, beautiful but promising death. With her back to him, she added, “Let’s hope you eventually find your way.”

* * *

A shower didn’t cool him down, and he couldn’t sleep.

Akihiko was still in awe of Mitsuru tonight. He knew they were friends, but for her to stand there and talk him up like he was some kind of hero...how long had she been stockpiling this? He always wore his feelings on his nonexistent sleeve, but Mitsuru had never really been forthcoming with her affection. She was so upset tonight that she just had to speak up. Something was bothering her...and the dearest friend she’d ever had couldn’t figure out what it was or how to fix it!

Akihiko threw on some sweats and decided that a jog around the hotel might help. Hopefully security would at least let him do a lap or two. He threw a few imaginary punches at this Hisakawa dick. Who even was he? What the hell had crawled up his ass and died?

Movement out of the corner of his eye startled him. The man himself stepped out of the shadows, a cigarette dangling from his mouth. “Isn’t it a little late for you to be tramping around?” Hisakawa jeered.

“Speak for yourself.” Akihiko wasn’t about to be nice to the guy while Mitsuru wasn’t around.

“I got nothing better to do. You, on the other hand,” he deliberately flicked ashes towards Akihiko, “are probably wanted by Kirijo.” He got too close for anyone’s comfort. “How’d you do it, huh?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. If you’ll excuse me-”

“Oh, now come on. It’s just us men here. Spill it. Kirijo doesn’t let just anyone handle their trade secrets. What’s she got on you?”

Akihiko opened his mouth to retort before he remembered something. This hotel had smoking rooms available. What was Hisakawa standing out here for?

_He happened to look up at the right time..._

_Nah, this was enough…_

Akihiko stared the little worm right in the face and let him know he had caught him dead to rights. “Who are you with?”

The worm smirked. “Let’s just say **I** have a few friends who are veeerrry interested in who Kirijo is calling a friend these days.” PUBLIC FUCKING SAFETY. No way was he going to use Akihiko to smear Mitsuru!

“Get lost.” Akihiko turned and began heading back inside, but the slimeball greased up his path.

“Why don’t you make me? Huh?”

He sure as hell wanted to, and he sure as hell could. He knew it, Mitsuru knew it, this bastard knew it. Public Safety knew it. Come morning, the press would, too. But Mitsuru was up there somewhere feeling blessed that she had Akihiko, and he did not want to lose that. Ever. No little shit was going to break Mitsuru’s faith in him.

“Perhaps I misspoke.”

Mitsuru somehow managed to sneak up on the both of them, and she was enraged. The sweat on Akihiko’s face froze solid at the sight of her. “I remember you now. Kissupkawa, the world’s youngest professional boot-licker. Always ingratiating yourself with the biggest bully on the playground, until the next one came along. An opportunistic barnacle.” She advanced on them, coming to a stop in between both men – but with her back to Akihiko, as if she were guarding him. “Go. Report whatever you like back to your little ‘friends’, and watch them drop you like a stone. Perhaps you’ll learn the true definition of friendship along the way.”

Hisakawa knew he was defeated, but couldn’t resist a parting blow. “I’d watch your step if I were you, Kirijo. You keep turning down the wrong people, and your _dog_ is all you’ll have left.” He vanished into the night.

Akihiko was terrified that he’d done the wrong thing again. Mitsuru hadn’t looked at him once. _Perhaps I misspoke._ He wasn’t that great after all, was he? She stood up for him and now she was regretting it. He set off on his walk of shame-

-and Mitsuru put a hand on his chest. Even through his sweatshirt, he could feel it shaking. Was she that upset?

“I’m...sorry that I didn’t realize it sooner,” she said – and from the tone of her voice, it was hard to tell if she meant Hisakawa, or her feelings for Akihiko. “You didn’t deserve that.”

“He can go to hell. I’m fine. He’s not even worth it. Besides, it’s not the first time I’ve been called your dog.”

Mitsuru finally looked at him, and he realized there was something off about her eyes. She had been _**crying**_. Now he wished he HAD decked Hisakawa after all. Then, without warning, she lunged forward and threw her arms around him.

“You are not a dog,” she said fiercely, her voice trembling, “you are the greatest man I have ever met and I don’t care how many people I have to tell this to. You’re worth twenty of him.” She clutched him as if he would disappear. “Pl...please don’t ever feel that I’m taking advantage of you, because the truth is, I would be lost without you, Akihiko.”

She shook with every word, and he was damn grateful for the effort it took. For Mitsuru, this was like squeezing blood from a stone. Emotions were hard to express, so she usually showed her appreciation through gestures like the plane tickets to South America, or the college tuition. He knew she cared about him. Everyone knew she cared about him, but it went unsaid because Mitsuru and Akihiko had lived through some of the most difficult shit and talking about it reminded them that it was all real. If they’d ever sat down and expressed just how happy they were to be friends like this, it would...well, it would be a lot like this.

And Akihiko didn’t really want to do this in the middle of a hotel parking lot in a strange town at night when they were probably still being watched and he was a bag of sweat. Still…

“Hey...it’s okay. I love you, too.”

Mitsuru burst out laughing at a pitch that could have scared away dogs, if he had actually been one. She ran her hands over her face, shook off phantom fears, tried to brush her hair away from her eyes and become the Execution Queen again – but there was something lighter and happier in her eyes now, something only he had her permission to put there.

“You idiot,” she said, smiling.

They walked back to the hotel together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In English, Labrys has kind of a rough, New Yorker accent, but in Japanese, she sounds like she’s from Kansai, a place where people are stereotyped as being slow-witted.  
>   
> It’s always bugged me that people seem to think Mitsuru has Akihiko by the balls and he just goes along with it because he’s a big dumb bo-hunk who’s scared of her, like Akihiko isn’t twice her size by Arena. Have you SEEN his muscles? Mitsuru, in spite of her power and attitude, is a tiny girl. If Akihiko really, truly wanted her to leave him alone, he could pick her up and throw her, or snap her neck. Perhaps he does things for Mitsuru because...shocker...he wants her to be happy? He likes Mitsuru – whether you ship him with her or not, he admires and cares for her – and he’s the type of guy to help a friend. He doesn’t do what Mitsuru asks blindly; his values align with hers, and when they don’t, he makes that known. He did not go along with her when she sided with Yukari in The Answer, believing that the dead are gone and they’re never coming back. He even shouts at her before realizing that she’d made up her mind. His strong sense of right and wrong, duty and responsibility are things he had way before they met. It’s why he wants to be a cop.  
> Mitsuru cares about Akihiko, too. He was probably her first real friend. He’s the only person she’s on a first-name basis with when we first see them. She talks about him constantly, even when she’s supposed to be on dates with you as the MC. It’s enough that one of your dialogue options is “Are you in love?” She values his opinion, and I don’t think she sees him as her slave or dog. We only see her Execute him once, and that was with the rest of the guys for peeping on the girls in the hot springs. It’s not as if she freezes him every five seconds because she’s in a bad mood. When does she threaten him? When he’s talking about overexerting himself after he’s broken his ribs.  
> Sorry for the long-winded rant. While some humor can be mined out of Akihiko being whipped, I don’t think it should be taken seriously.


	4. Dance/Your Touch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mitsuru has a dangerous mission for Akihiko.

You started this chat with Pink, BatBoy, NicknamesAreForKids, Aigis, Fuu2.0, and AxMeNoQuestions at 20:32 pm.

PROTEIN!: She’s lost her damn mind.

AxMeNoQuestions: Who?

Aigis: I believe he is talking about Mitsuru-san.

Pink: Who else would he be talking about?

AxMeNoQuestions: True.

Fuu2.0: True.

BatBoy: True.

NicknamesAreForKids: True.

PROTEIN!: Wow, thanks, guys.

Pink: Am I wrong though?

PROTEIN!: ...

PROTEIN!: No.

NicknamesAreForKids: Has Mitsuru-san done something wrong?

Akihiko put down his phone and wiped the sweat from his brow. Why was he even considering this? It was a suicide mission and they both knew it. He’d done some crazy things before, but this was out there even for him! Would the others still back him up if they knew?

PROTEIN!: Mitsuru asked me to do something for her.

PROTEIN!: Something I...don’t know if I can do.

Pink: Oh.

Pink: That.

Pink: Um...yeah, I might’ve

PROTEIN!: You might’ve what?

Chat with Senpai

14:00 pm

Senpai: Yukari!

Senpai: Help!

Yukari: OMG Senpai what’s wrong?? I mean,

Yukari: I’m on a shoot right now, but are you okay?

Senpai: Do you remember when we talked about ballroom dancing?

Senpai: I decided after some deliberation to resume my lessons. I just suddenly felt like I would need them.

Yukari: Yeah, it’s weird; I was thinking about dancing, too, the other day.

Yukari: And cheerleading costumes (??)

Yukari: So you’re going to dance class? That sounds like fun.

Senpai: No.

Senpai: No, it is not.

Senpai: Yukari

Senpai: I need someone to accompany me and there are absolutely no associates of mine in existence that I would ever let anywhere near my body.

Yukari: Find a cute guy in class?

Senpai: ...

Senpai: Yes, allow a stranger to touch me. A wonderful idea.

Senpai: YUKARI THIS IS NOT A SUMMER ROMANCE MOVIE!

Yukari: 🤣

Yukari: Wow, you are really freaking out about this. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this panicky!

Senpai: I’m glad you are so amused.

Yukari: Hey, I know!

Yukari: You could ask Akihiko-senpai to go!

Senpai: …

Senpai: ==

Senpai: .

Yukari: Right?

Group chat with Pink, BatBoy, NicknamesAreForKids, Aigis, Fuu2.0, and AxMeNoQuestions

20:40 pm.

PROTEIN!: YUKARI I’M GOING TO KILL YOU

Pink: 😨

BatBoy: Don’t taze Yuka-tan, bro!

Pink: 😁

PROTEIN!: SHE WANTS ME TO DANCE WITH HER AND I DON’T KNOW HOW TO DANCE!!

BatBoy: 🤣

AxMeNoQuestions: 🤣

BatBoy: You told her no, right?

BatBoy: I mean, a man’s gotta have standards.

Pink: What would you know about *that*, Stupei?

BatBoy: …

BatBoy: Ken told me.

Pink: Obviously.

AxMeNoQuestions: Yep.

Fuu2.0: Makes sense.

Aigis: That is an acceptable answer.

PROTEIN!: Should’ve known.

BatBoy: REALLY FEELING THE LOVE

PROTEIN!: What if I step on her feet while I’m tripping over mine? I’ll embarrass her, and then she’ll kill me.

Pink: She’ll kill you if you say no, Senpai.

PROTEIN!: Yes, but I’ll die with my dignity intact!!

AxMeNoQuestions: Aw, c’mon Akihiko-san! You can’t let her go by herself and get grabbed by some pervert, can you?

Fuu2.0: I think you two would look really nice dancing together.

PROTEIN!: Not the issue here!

Pink: Okay, well then, what IS the issue?

PROTEIN!: She’s...Mitsuru.

BatBoy: That’s some college education right there.

Aigis: Affirmative. Mitsuru-san is indeed Mitsuru-san.

PROTEIN!: No, I mean

PROTEIN!: She’s a girl and yet...she’s also Mitsuru.

AxMeNoQuestions: I am so not following you, pal.

Pink: 🙄

Pink: 🤦

Pink: Oh, my God, the both of you.

Chat with Senpai

14:15 pm

Yukari: What’s wrong with Akihiko-senpai?

Senpai: It’s not that there’s anything inherently wrong with Akihiko,

Senpai: I…

Senpai: don’t quite know how to explain this.

Senpai: While Akihiko exists as a person, he also exists simultaneously as a concept.

Senpai: I’m quite fond of this concept of “Akihiko”, due to our shared experiences and similar interests. I suppose I would be regardless of whether “Akihiko” was male or female.

Senpai: However, “Akihiko” does not exist independently of the Akihiko we’ve been discussing, and

Yukari: I’M GONNA STOP YOU RIGHT THERE

Yukari: You lost me.

Senpai: I think I’ve confused myself as well.

PROTEIN!: See? She gets it.

Pink: Senpai, the fact that you actually understand that is frightening, and it proves you need to go with her.

PROTEIN!: @$#%&+)!!!!!

Senpai: This is all irrelevant, considering Akihiko would surely refuse.

Yukari: Refuse *you*?

Senpai: It’s happened before!

PROTEIN!: Fine.

PROTEIN!: My death is on your hands, but

Pink: He’s doing it!

Fuu2.0: He’s doing it!

BatBoy: Be a man and go dance with a girl!

AxMeNoQuestions: Junpei-kun don’t ruin it!!

21:00 pm

Akihiko (ง'̀-'́)ง: Look, um

Akihiko (ง'̀-'́)ง: I don’t want to embarrass you or anything, but

Akihiko (ง'̀-'́)ง: If you really want me to come with you,

Akihiko (ง'̀-'́)ง: …

Akihiko (ง'̀-'́)ง: I don’t have to wear anything stupid, do I??

Mitsuru: Not at all.

Mitsuru: I really do appreciate this.

Senpai: YUKARI

Senpai: I think he just agreed.

Yukari: Well, of COURSE he did, duh!

Senpai: YUKARI

Senpai: Akihiko is going to accompany me to dance lessons.

Senpai: There will be dancing.

Senpai: And Akihiko!

Yukari: Also, “Akihiko”.

Senpai: DON’T YOU USE MY OWN WORDS AGAINST ME YUKARI TAKEBA

Yukari: 🤣

Yukari: I can’t get over you being so flustered about this.

Yuka-tan: Don’t tell her I told you this, but

Yuka-tan: OMG

Yuka-tan: Senpai is totally freaking the hell out and it’s the greatest thing ever.

Stupei: Yuka-tan, you little troll!

Stupei: Good for you!

PROTEIN!: There! I did it!

PROTEIN!: Happy now?

Pink: 😁

BatBoy: 😁

Fuu2.0: 😁

Aigis: 😁

NicknamesAreForKids: 😁

AxMeNoQuestions: 😁

PROTEIN!: I hate each and every one of you.

* * *

Life had kept the Shadow Operatives from talking to each other for very long, so it was several days before anyone heard from Akihiko or Mitsuru – even Yukari. When the group chat lit up, no one knew what to expect.

You started this chat with Pink, BatBoy, NicknamesAreForKids, Aigis, Fuu2.0, and AxMeNoQuestions at 19:00 pm.

PROTEIN!: Guys!

PROTEIN!: GUYS!

PROTEIN!: MITSURU HAS HIPS

Aigis: Affirmative. Mitsuru-san is an anatomically correct human being.

Fuu2.0: Did you really not notice this before?

PROTEIN!: When would I ever think about Mitsuru’s hips?

PROTEIN!: Now they’re all I can think about YUKARI PICK UP YOUR DAMN PHONE!!

PROTEIN!: THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!

Pink: I can’t deal with the both of you yelling at me at the same time! Hold on!

Senpai: YUKARI, HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?

Senpai: This was a HORRIBLE idea!

Senpai: How am I supposed to face these people now?

NicknamesAreForKids: Forgive me for asking, but…

NicknamesAreForKids: what’s wrong with Mitsuru-san having hips?

PROTEIN!: They’re small

PROTEIN!: They’re so small

PROTEIN!: My hands just kind of...fit on them

PROTEIN!: They move

PROTEIN!: DEAR GOD DO THEY MOVE

BatBoy: ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Yukari: What happened? Was it embarrassing?

Senpai: He…

Senpai: He...

Yukari: Senpai? Did he do something pervy?

Yukari: Are you all right? Do you need me to call someone?

Yukari: OMG I’ll kill him.

Yukari: SENPAI SPEAK TO ME!

Senpai: ...he’s very muscular

Yukari: 🤨

Yukari: ...yeah?

Yukari: We know this, he never wears a shirt.

Senpai: Yes, but

Senpai: I’ve never…

Senpai: examined him so closely before

Yukari: 😳

Yukari: Igottagobye

Senpai: Yukari I’ve done the readings as my best friend you are supposed to discuss things like this with me!

Senpai: Yukari PLEASE!

PROTEIN!: Now every time I see Mitsuru walking I will remember that she has these smooth little hips, and I will get arrested if I’m out in public.

PROTEIN!: Also, I’m sure she noticed.

PROTEIN!: I am a dead man.

Pink added Senpai to the group chat.

Pink: Okay.

Pink: So the both of you just need to grow up and realize that you’re both hot and awkward.

PROTEIN!: 😳 😨

PROTEIN!: YUKARI WHAT DID YOU DO?!?!

PROTEIN!:  **MITSURU DO NOT SCROLL UP!**

BatBoy: Well, now she’s gonna, dude.

Fuu2.0: Hi, Mitsuru-senpai!

NicknamesAreForKids: Hi, Mitsuru-san!

AxMeNoQuestions: Hi, Mitsuru-san!

Aigis: Greetings, Mitsuru-san!

BatBoy: ‘Sup, Senpai?

Fuu2.0: How are you?

NicknamesAreForKids: I hope you are well.

BatBoy: What’cha up to?

AxMeNoQuestions: Working hard, I’ll bet!

BatBoy: You think that worked?

Senpai: …

Senpai: For someone unaware that I had hips, you certainly were quick to find them.

Pink: F

BatBoy: F

Fuu2.0: F

AxMeNoQuestions: F

NicknamesAreForKids: F

Aigis: F

BatBoy: Here lies @PROTEIN!, beloved senpai and friend.

BatBoy: Laid low by a sick, sick burn.

Pink: He died as he lived – Executed by Mitsuru-senpai.

PROTEIN!: I can’t even deny that.

Akihiko bowed out of the group chat at that point, leaving the kids to their jokes. He knew they found it hilarious, but he really hadn’t given any thought to Mitsuru’s hips or any other body parts if he didn’t have to. She was a person first and foremost – a person who could kick his ass. Thinking of her as a _**female**_ person was making things complicated.

His phone went off one more time.

Mitsuru: Same time next week?

Akihiko: Of course.

He couldn’t disappoint those hips, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Aigis doesn’t get what the deal with chat handles is.  
> Mitsuru mentions during Dancing Moon Night that she used to take ballroom dance lessons.  
> In all my other stories, I have Mitsuru enter Akihiko in her contact list with the boxing emoji because she thinks it’s cute.


	5. Alternate Universe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone wants to get close to Gekkoukan's Golden Boy...except for one little nobody.  
> Well, maybe.

Gekkoukan High School was a very prestigious school catering to only the most affluent youth...and one fortunate orphan.

Mitsuru Kirijo anxiously looked over the pamphlet again, wondering just how she was going to manage being among kids who had more money in their pockets than she had ever seen in her life. It was a dream come true, except...

“You still reading that thing?” her friend Rie asked. The monorail was empty enough that they could lounge on the seats without bothering anyone.

“Why am I doing this again?” Mitsuru sighed.

“Because,” said Rie, taking the pamphlet out of her hands and replacing it with a crab bread, “you deserve this. You’re the smartest person I know-”

“That’s not saying much, all things considered-”

“And you’re super-talented. I mean it, Mits, you’re lethal with that sword. You could go national.”

“I could do that just as easily **here**.”

“And…” Here Rie took a bite of her own bread, chewing it thoroughly before continuing, “you’re the one with the best shot at getting out of this dump. You’re destined for better things than this. I just know it.”

Mitsuru slumped down in her seat. “Life sure has a funny way of showing it.” As an unremarkable orphan, Mitsuru never imagined she was destined for **anything**. Her parents – from what she could remember, which wasn’t much – weren’t anyone special. She didn’t have magical powers or the ability to talk to animals like the protagonists in the books she’d read. The only remarkable things about her were her deep red hair and eyes that matched – and that got her nothing but glares and ridicule when they thought she couldn’t hear them. Fencing was something she’d just fallen into; she’d been walking down an alley with Rie when they were accosted by bullies, and she picked up the nearest thing – a broom – to defend herself. The cop who dragged them both home suggested the sport as a way of begging her adoptive parents to not just drop her like a bad habit. The taunts didn’t stop overnight...but her wins brought her some positive attention for once. Reporting that she’d won a scholarship actually caused her folks to smile at her for the first time in years.

“You know who else goes to Gekkou?” Rie said around a leg of dough, “A Sanada. You’re going to the same school as local royalty. Imagine that!”

Even someone as lowly as Mitsuru had heard of the Sanada family. It was impossible not to as they sat there checking their Sanada-brand phones, while Sanada-sponsored messages played over the intercom, and billboards advertising Sanada electronics whizzed by outside. Anyone in that family certainly didn’t have to worry about paying for school. They wouldn’t be caught dead riding a rickety monorail, either.

“I hear their son is so drop-dead gorgeous, they call him the Golden Boy.” Rie had stars in her eyes at the thought of living vicariously through Mitsuru.

“Big deal”, scoffed Mitsuru, “I’ll never meet him, anyway. What could some trust fund baby have in common with me?”

* * *

He had it all...and yet he was bored.

Akihiko Sanada lived in a manor house as big as a department store, but he preferred to gaze longingly out the window at life going on around him. Those people out there, living and working and playing and occasionally going by and wondering to themselves, “Gee, imagine living in a house like _**that** **!**_ ” as they freely did whatever they wanted...they had no idea how stifling a life of luxury actually was.

“My lord,” a servant prostrated themselves before him, “dinner is served. Your father requests your presence in the dining room.”

That was another thing. Everyone around him treated him like a prince whether he wanted them to or not. At school, he looked like the most popular guy around...except he wasn’t. Everyone was too afraid to speak to him. They applauded him when he answered correctly in class, but they didn’t ask him to sit with them at lunch, or include him in their games after school. He was rushed straight to boxing practice and then home to study.

“Let them play,” his father would say, “You have no time for that nonsense. You’re a Sanada, and you are destined for better things. Someday, all of this will be yours."

Sometimes, Akihiko wondered what his life would have been like if he’d been born to another family, one who didn’t have everything provided for them. Would he enjoy it? Those people outside...were their little lives really so bad? They didn’t have a mansion or a limousine, but they had friends to hang out with. They had freedom.

This spring, Akihiko would be going to Gekkoukan High School, a place that only the brightest and the best got into. His spot was already guaranteed, because his family owned the school. They were sure to call him the Golden Boy there, too. The champion boxer who was always at the top of the class, the pride of the prefecture. And then he’d go home alone. Even the girls who giggled at him and left love notes in his locker only did so because he was Sanada-senpai. They hung on his every word and just agreed with everything he said because he said it. **Boring**. They only wanted to show off to their friends. They didn’t like him for him.

If he was a normal guy, if he didn’t have this name hanging over him, he’d have to earn their attention. He’d have to work for everything he got, instead of having it handed to him. Maybe then, it would mean more. At least he’d know that his friends were REALLY his friends, because they liked him for what he did instead of who he was.

A new idea seized him as he was led to the dining room: what if he WAS just another guy? What if he went to school and found someone who had no idea who he was and just...talked to them? Would they befriend him? Did he have the skills necessary to be just Akihiko-kun? He was certainly going to try.

“You seem to be in a good mood tonight,” Akihiko’s father observed as he entered the room with a smile on his face.

“Yes, Father. I’m looking forward to the start of a new term. This should be an interesting year.”

* * *

The first day of school always gave people mixed emotions. Some children dreaded it. Some, like Mitsuru, enjoyed the environment, but blanched at the pomp and circumstance. And some, like Akihiko, could not hide their excitement.

Gekkoukan High sat on its own private island like a king, looming over the new students, ready to devour them all. Suddenly regretting their decision, they took refuge in small groups dotting the campus, trying to form alliances that would hopefully get them through the next three years. Mitsuru considered attempting to join them until they took one look at her hair and eyes and the atmosphere suddenly went chilly. Well, she was not here to make friends. She decided to head straight for the faculty office to find her homeroom teacher and request a seat in the back of the class, like always (so they wouldn’t stare at her). When she walked through the doors, however, she found herself quite literally in over her head. The building was huge! How on Earth was she ever going to make it to all her classes in time?

She had been so preoccupied with the architecture that she wasn’t watching where she was going and walked headlong into another student. “Oh! Excuse me!”

It was a boy in a smart-looking cardigan. “Think you could watch where you’re going?” he snapped. “There aren’t any classes on the ceiling!” Of course it was a boy. Boys her age were all the same. Now he was going to call her “Red” or claim that her hair was blinding him. Sure enough, he stopped and looked closely at her.

“Perhaps if I _knew_ where I was going, I could! This place is an incomprehensible maze! Who builds a school this way?” Mitsuru tried to give him her best glare, but it fell flat as she got a good look at him. His hair was white, so white that it gleamed silver. His eyes were the stormiest gray she’d ever seen. Mitsuru had never met another person who stood out in a sea of black as much as she did. How did he deal with the stares, the ridicule?

Akihiko nearly bit the girl’s head off for that comment, but stopped himself just in time. She had no idea who he was. Maybe this was his chance? She seemed rather rude, but...that hair just leapt out at him. It was so red, redder than his favorite corner of the boxing ring. Where does someone **get** hair that red? And her eyes...like angry little rubies. No one had ever looked at him with that much disdain before. It fascinated him.

“Well, if you’d look down a bit,” he found himself saying, “you’d see that bulletin board right in front of you with all the lists pinned to it. It might even tell you where your homeroom is. Didn’t you have one of those at your old school? What’s the matter, were there only ten students wherever you came from?”

She turned up her nose and stomped over to the bulletin board, head held high as if she’d just decided to go there on her own. Akihiko followed her at a safe distance, hoping he could spot his own name without her noticing. If he was lucky, he’d see her name as well. Something told him she wouldn’t just give it to him. He’d just found his own name when the girl moved over to the same paper and trailed her finger down until she found…

Kirijo, Mitsuru.

“ _Beautiful woman”, huh? Someone had lofty expectations._

“Oh, great, we’re in the same class,” he grumbled.

“Oh?” Kirijo turned around to look at him again, a look of hopefulness in her eyes. She immediately tried to hide it as she added, “Well, I’ll look forward to getting better marks than you each week.”

He laughed out loud. “You think so, huh?”

“I know so.”

Oh, this was going to be fun. Akihiko punched his right palm with his left fist, eyes sparkling. “Good thing I love a challenge.”

Kirijo’s eyes refracted the light like a stained glass window, her smile both delightful and terrifying. “What a coincidence...so do I.”

* * *

By the end of the morning, Mitsuru felt immensely better about her new situation. She had found her homeroom – without the silver boy’s assistance – and managed to stumble upon a library bigger than she’d ever seen. How she longed to get lost among the stacks. She’d been itching to get her hands on some new books. More importantly, she had also found the auditorium on her own, and she made it to the assembly **before** her new rival! The look on his face when he saw her seated there was completely worth it. Only one thing bothered her, though; she’d never gotten his name. To be fair, she’d never given hers, but weren’t men supposed to introduce themselves first? Ah, well, he’d find out her name when exam results were posted and it was right at the top.

The school principal was droning on and on about how they all had to work together to secure a better future or something – nearly identical to every principal’s speech she’d ever heard – and she nearly nodded off until she heard something exciting.

“Our academic and sports clubs will be opening up next week. Gekkoukan High athletes are the best of the best, and we encourage you to try out and show your school spirit. We have a fencing club, an archery club, and a boxing club as well. Let’s hear from this year’s new captains…”

 _That’s going to be me next year,_ Mitsuru thought.

“...and our boxing captain, Akihiko Sanada!”

Oh? Was this the Golden Boy everyone was so excited about? Mitsuru craned her neck to try and catch a glimpse of this celebrity so she could report back to Rie. She looked up to the stage…

...and prayed her expletive got lost in the crowd as the color drained out of her face.

_Oh, shit._

_The Golden Boy is **silver.**_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don’t think I’ve ever seen an AU where the cast members switch places with each other. I thought it would be interesting. Not sure if there are Personas in this universe or not. It wasn’t important for this one-shot.  
> Also, I gave Mitsuru’s friend the name of her Japanese voice actor.


	6. Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Shadow attack has a...weird effect on whoever it hits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was...kind of inspired by a discussion in the Akimitsu Discord, although I only had the idea for Akihiko's dream then.

Yamagishi was the first to spot it. Narcolepsy had been in the news lately, with cases of it popping up randomly in people who had never suffered from it before. They were heading to the hospital in droves, fearing an epidemic. What the general public didn’t realize was that the narcolepsy cases coincided with Shadow appearances. Each time someone randomly fell asleep in the middle of the day, the Shadow Operatives would investigate and find Shadows to vanquish. But the isolated cases seem to have no connection, until Yamagishi convinced her aunt and uncle to interview the victims. Each one of them had visited the shrine just before their episode. It wasn’t much to go on, but it was the only clue they had. Mitsuru made the executive decision to hold a Dark Hour in order to investigate.

At the stroke of midnight (it just seemed fitting), Mitsuru had the Operatives gather at the entrance to the shrine as she opened a small box containing an eerie orb. The entire town immediately turned green. The shrine however…

Yukari gasped as Yamagishi could not stop herself from shrieking, and Iori exclaimed, “What the hell is THAT?” Before them stood a giant Shadow made mostly of wings. It had an enormous pair on its back, and smaller wings lining its ears. It was a deep, dark blue, almost black, and when it spoke – since when did Shadows speak? – it had a deep, unsettling voice.

“We meet at last, Those Who Do Not Sleep,” it roared. “Why do you meddle in the affairs of night? Are you, perhaps, afraid to dream?”

“Be careful!” Yamagishi said from within her Persona, “It’s not a Shadow! It’s-”

“This is a time of gods,” the creature said instead, “Man should not interfere!” Dark magic began to swirl around them, and the familiar red and green of the Dark Hour faded into demonic blue-black ink. “SURRENDER TO THE ARMS OF MORPHEUS!”

The battle was intense from the start. With no detected weaknesses, the team simply tried pummeling him, hoping their numbers would help them win the battle. They were able to knock him down, and a team of Mitsuru, Akihiko, Yukari and Iori surrounded him for an All-Out Attack. But Morpheus was ready for them.

“HORNED GATE!” he bellowed, casting a spell that hit the four. A red cloud of...flowers?...descended upon them – but it didn’t seem to do much of anything.

“Heh,” scoffed Akihiko, “is that all you got?”

It appeared that it was, which was odd. None of the Persona-users were injured. They didn’t seem to be suffering from any status effects, either. Just what did that spell **do**?

As if that was his plan all along, Morpheus soon succumbed, leaving behind victorious but very confused humans.

* * *

Mitsuru had been looking forward to this meeting for quite some time. For once, she could honestly say that she’d enjoyed readying her presentation. As the members of the board filed into the conference room, she checked her phone, making sure all was ready.

“Miss Kirijo,” the chairman of the board addressed her, “We’ve called this meeting today to address the issue of the Kirijo Group’s future.”

“Oh, I’m aware,” smirked Mitsuru. She came out from behind the desk wearing a rather revealing negligee. “So the Group demands I conceive an heir as soon as possible, does it? Then allow me to present to you my solution.”

The door opened, and in walked Akihiko. He made a beeline for Mitsuru, as if no one else existed.

“What are you doing, Miss Kirijo!?”

“Giving you what you want,” said Mitsuru as she swept all the documents and folders off the table that ran down the center of the room. “After all, you came into this room expecting results. Bear witness to the Kirijo Group’s latest creation!”

Akihiko lifted Mitsuru up and placed her on the table, unzipping his pants to the shock of their audience.

“Make yourself comfortable – we might be a while,” Mitsuru purred as Akihiko mounted her. The members of the board stood there, aghast, as their boss proceeded to have loud, intense sex with her paramour.

“Milady!”

Kikuno’s shout startled Mitsuru so much that she toppled off the bed, tangled up in her sheets like an unlucky fish caught by a giant squid.

“Milady, what are you still doing in bed? It’s nearly ten o’clock!” Kikuno came into the bedroom and found Mitsuru looking as if she’d been through a hurricane. “What’s wrong? Why are you shaking?”

* * *

Mitsuru was a wreck.

She’d gotten approximately 3 hours of sleep over the past 5 days, because every time she closed her eyes, she found herself in that conference again. How on Earth was she going to face those board members with that dream in the back of her mind? How would she face _**Akihiko** **?**_

The latter proved to be easier than she’d anticipated. Akihiko had been avoiding Mitsuru like the plague. He didn’t call, text, or show up at the house at all, which was welcome, but odd. She’d expected this sort of reception **after** he found out about her scandalous dreams. What was wrong with him? She’d find out soon enough; the Shadow Operatives were due for a meeting and overdue for a debriefing about the Morpheus scandal.

Everyone seemed nervous and lost in thought as they arrived, sinking into the sofas and hiding their faces in whatever they could find. Iori didn’t crack a single joke, and Yukari was gloomier than they’d ever seen her. Akihiko slunk in at the last possible second and wouldn’t meet anyone’s eyes. When Kikuno offered him a protein shake, however, he recoiled as if it were a cobra. Why was he suddenly sweating? Had he been refusing contact because he was ill?

Leave it to Labrys. “Why’s everyone actin’ so weird? Did someone die?”

Yukari and Iori both flinched. “No one _else_ ,” muttered Iori.

Before things could get more awkward, Mitsuru attempted to steer the group back on task. “Ahem…now that we are all here, we have a few missions to discuss. I’m pleased to report that the mass narcolepsy cases have tapered off over the past week. It seems the mission most of us found ourselves on at Naganaki shrine was successful.”

“Bark!”

“Koromaru-san has requested a damage report,” Aigis translated.

Before Mitsuru could reply, Akihiko suddenly spoke up. “We didn’t hit a damn thing,” he grumbled, “Bastard threw flowers at us and left.”

“Flowers?” asked Amada.

“Lady Mitsuru, if I may?” Kikuno hardly if ever spoke up during the meetings, but something sparked her memory. “I found several of these in the pockets of your coat.” She put several red blossoms on the table in the center of the room.

“I had a few of those stuck to me, too!” said Yukari. Akihiko and Iori also admitted to finding flowers on themselves.

A worrying theory was beginning to develop in Mitsuru’s mind.

“I’ve never heard of a Shadow that threw flowers before,” Amada was curious, and the look in his eyes suggested that he was coming to the same conclusion.

Yamagishi shook her head. “He wasn’t a Shadow,” she explained, “I couldn’t get a reading on him, but he was incredibly powerful.” No one protested the use of “him”. It just felt fitting somehow.

“Additionally, he actually gave us his name,” added Mitsuru, “Morpheus.”

Yamagishi and Aigis were at her computer, running a search, when Yamagishi sat upright and declared, “Here it is...Morpheus is the Greek god of sleep and dreams.” _Dreams??_ “He is the…” She stopped, covering her mouth with her hand.

Aigis continued. “He is believed to be the son of the god Hypnos and the grandson… of Nyx.”

The entire room froze.

Nyx was never going to be out of their lives. Even after her defeat, even after she’d claimed the life of their dearest leader, her influence remained in the world.

“What is this, revenge?” Akihiko clenched his fists, the liveliest he’d been since he came in. “Didn’t like us harassing his grandma, so he puts some aromatherapy whammy on us?”

That was it exactly. Mitsuru and Amada were now confident in their assumptions.

“They’re poppies! Look!” Yamagishi turned her laptop around. “Morpheus would sleep in a cave of poppies. These flowers are used to make narcotics like opium, heroin, morphine. Painkillers.”

Yukari began to cry. “This isn’t painless at all!” she said.

“How many of you got hit with these poppies?” Amada asked. The four adults all raised their hands.

Mitsuru was almost too afraid to continue. “H-how...how have you been sleeping?”

Iori piped up. “I take it I wasn’t the only one having weird dreams.”

“It’s not fair!” Yukari pounded the table, upsetting Yamagishi. “It was so real! M-” She hugged a throw pillow to her chest as she burst into tears. “Makoto was alive, he was still here with us, everything was perfect and I never wanted to wake up because I didn’t want it to end!” The poppies were still on the table, so Yukari began bashing them with a coaster and tearing them into pieces. “Stupid, STUPID FLOWERS! I wanted this the most, but you only teased me with it!”

_I wanted this the most..._

They had to hold her back and embrace her. “Yukari, that’s enough! You’ve...you’ve made your point.” That couldn’t be the answer, could it? “However painful it is, we are stuck in this reality and our dreams are just that: windows to something we wish that we had.” Mitsuru was only thankful that she didn’t dream of Yuki as well. She couldn’t have faced Yukari otherwise. Although, it was odd when she thought about it. She’d actually dated Yuki. Why was it Akihiko instead?

“Maybe it’s over now?” offered Labrys, “You get rid of the flowers, and you get rid of the whammy.”

“I am going to burn the hell out of every petal I find,” said Iori. No prize for guessing what **his** dreams were about.

“No argument here.” Akihiko also seemed affected by Yukari’s declaration, still refusing to look Mitsuru in the eye, angrily bashful.

“So, did you dream of someone you lost, too?” Yukari asked them.

“Yeah,” said Akihiko a little too quickly.

“Yes, of course,” Mitsuru said just as abruptly. They both looked at one another for the first time since the meeting started. _He never misses an opportunity to talk about Shinjiro,_ she thought, noting his blush. _Perhaps it was his family?_ _But why would that be so embarrassing?_

Mitsuru took a deep breath and tried to collect her thoughts. If the Morpheus ordeal was truly over, perhaps she could just forget about her dream and Akihiko would be none the wiser. “As hard as this week has been, we did accomplish what we set out to do, so let that be a small comfort. Please make sure to destroy any poppies you find and report back if anything changes.” The sooner this meeting ended, the sooner she could retreat and shake off her shame.

The other Operatives began leaving, but Akihiko hadn’t left his seat. She’d have given anything not to face him, but apparently he’d been watching her while she was watching him. He knew something was wrong. Before she could speak, he cut her off.

“I’m gonna go ahead and assume you did not dream about your dad,” he said with little to no preamble.

“No.” It was impossible to lie to Akihiko. “Dare I ask how you knew?”

“Err...just a hunch.” Akihiko turned a shade of red Mitsuru hadn’t seen since he’d first walked in on her and she was forced to Execute him. Now she was convinced he hadn’t dreamed of Shinjiro. There was no reason to be bashful in front of her, unless.

“You as well?”

That was his cue to leave. “It...may have had...something to do with a protein shake,” he mumbled. Then he fled.

Well, now she’d spend the next week trying to figure out what he’d meant!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <https://greekgodsandgoddesses.net/gods/morpheus/>  
> Morpheus is known for sleep, dreams, and being the grandson of Nyx. I kind of picture him as taking his job very seriously, so when the Dark Hour hits and there are still people walking around not in coffins, he’s a little embarrassed that he let Grandma down.  
> Note that Morpheus is not in charge of nightmares. The dreams are not terrifying by themselves. In fact, they were so great that people would randomly fall asleep just so they could revisit them.  
> Mitsuru, there’s a therapist I hope you never meet...


	7. Free Prompt Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glimpse into the future of Akimitsu...

Sometimes, the Shadow Operatives wondered if Makoto was looking down on them and feeling happy about his sacrifice.

Life had gone on. Though there were trying times, there was also joy, and the former members of SEES were doing their best to live their lives to the fullest for Makoto and for everyone. They were lauded as heroes, mentors, celebrities, and friends. In the years that followed the P-1 Tournament, the Operatives had developed Iwatodai into a prospering city, with the Kirijo Group at the center of everything. Mitsuru’s tireless philanthropy had restored honor and respect to her family’s name. These days, meetings revolved not around Shadows and fighting, but personal lives and gossip.

It was an open secret among the group that Akihiko and Mitsuru had gotten involved somewhere along the line. They spent several years denying it until one embarrassing moment at Ken’s graduation party had them both dead to rights. Not that anyone really minded; in fact, they used to place bets as to how long it would take. When Fuuka of all people won the bet, conditions changed to when Akihiko would propose.

Currently, everyone was fortunate enough to have some time off for Golden Week, and they couldn’t wait to get together and see who’d win this time. Akihiko had even convinced Mitsuru somehow to put work aside and host them. (Junpei had teased that Akihiko should host them instead, since he practically lived with Mitsuru anyway, but he received both a pink elbow in his side and a positively-charged noogie.)

When the week began, they all excitedly arrived at the Kirijo mansion to reconnect. Ken had actually shown up early and was so tuckered out from his first year of college that he’d gone to sleep, his ever-faithful companion Koromaru lying by his side. He was quite an old dog now; Labrys had gently carried him up the stairs so he wouldn’t have to strain himself too much. None of them wanted to lose yet another friend.

“All right, Aigis, you’re fully updated.” Fuuka was stationed in her usual spot at the coffee table, her laptop up and running as she performed scans on one of their android friends. The sight of an open-chassis robot had stopped being alarming long ago. At this point, it was like having a mechanic in the family who didn’t mind doing free repair work. “Labrys, you’re next!”

Meanwhile, the lady of the hour had finally emerged, looking a little flushed. “I’m sorry I’m running late, everyone. It’s been a...stressful morning.” Mitsuru was tired, but happy to see her friends. “The food will be here shortly as well.”

As per tradition, Junpei made a show of excitedly asking, “Is it sushi?”

“Absolutely not, Iori. I have no idea what made you think that. When have I ever bought you sushi?” Mitsuru played along, perfectly deadpan.

When said sushi arrived – naturally, enough of everyone’s favorite kind – and Junpei grinned and dove right into the platter, Yukari rolled her eyes at him. “Are you ever going to get tired of doing that?”

“Hmm...am I going to get tired of free sushi? Well, let me think about it-NO!”

“NO!” everyone answered for him.

“Not eating, Mitsuru-san?” Aigis asked as she and Labrys scooted over to allow everyone who could eat access. (No one wanted to get in Junpei’s way.)

Mitsuru blanched when everyone stopped to look at her. “...I’ll wait for Akihiko,” she said. The muscular police officer had not shown up yet, which was strange since he was usually guaranteed to be around. Kikuno even had a protein shake made up and waiting for him.

Koromaru had woken up at the smell of food, and he tilted his head quizzically as he barked something. “He says you smell funny,” translated Labrys.

This left Mitsuru unsettled as well. “Why, Koromaru, that’s rude. Don’t smell people without their consent.”

Ken eyed her. “I’m sure he didn’t mean anything by it, Mitsuru-san. He **is** getting old. Maybe his nose is going.”

Koromaru began protesting that, as yet another argument between Yukari and Junpei started up. Things were so lively that when Mitsuru’s phone began ringing, she almost didn’t hear it.

“Hello? Yes, this is she. _WHAT?”_

Everything came to a halt as Mitsuru gasped, the person on the other end of the phone apparently telling her something terrifying. As they watched, her breathing became erratic and she looked as if she were drowning. Without any warning, she dropped the phone and collapsed to the floor.

“SENPAI!”

“Oh, my god, Senpai, are you okay? What’s wrong?”

“Mitsuru-san! Oh, she’s out cold!”

Aigis, meanwhile, picked up the phone with its caller still shouting from the other end. “Who is this? Oh. _Oh..._ Yes, thank you for calling. Someone will be there promptly. Please, do all you can. Thank you.” She hung up, and there was real alarm in her voice as she told the others, “Akihiko-san has been shot!”

* * *

Mitsuru had regained consciousness a few minutes after Aigis hung up, but she was in pretty bad shape.

“What are we going to do?” Yukari had been offering healing, but it didn’t seem to do much for Mitsuru. “Poor Akihiko-senpai's all alone, and he must be in so much pain.”

“Yeah, being shot is no joke,” said Junpei. He alone had survived his gunshot wound.

“A-Aigis?” Fuuka had taken the news almost as badly as Mitsuru, sensitive as she was. “What did the doctor say?”

“At the time, Akihiko-san was being taken to surgery. He would not disclose any more information.” They were sure it was only the fact that she was a robot that was keeping Aigis from losing it, too.

“They won’t release patient information unless you’re family,” said Fuuka.

“But he ain’t got no family!” Labrys had emotions, though she barely understood them. “I mean, they called Mitsuru-san. I guess they’re like family...”

“Actually,” Ken had been using Koromaru to hide the fact that he was shaking. “he was adopted, formally. His...mother...she lives kind of nearby.” He watched Mitsuru hugging herself on the couch, trying to stay numb. “They’re not very close.”

Yukari was still having trouble reaching her. “Should we try to get in touch with her?”

“We have nothing to report.” Aigis glared at Mitsuru’s discarded phone as if it was at fault. “Someone must go to the hospital to assess the situation.”

“I’ll do it.” Junpei rose.

“Junpei?” Yukari went to say something, but stopped at the look of determination on Junpei’s face.

“It might be pretty bad,” he said, “You guys probably aren’t gonna want to see that. I’ll go, and I’ll let you know if...uh, if something happens.” No one wanted to voice the possibility that Akihiko might not make it.

Mitsuru began sobbing herself back to life, and Junpei uncharacteristically clasped her hands and spoke softly. “It’s all right, Senpai, we’ll figure something out,” he said. Even the dog was looking at him like he’d been possessed by someone maturer as he left.

* * *

The hospital still freaked him out after all these years. No one who had been brought here ever made it back alive, except for him – and that was all due to Chidori. His chest still hurt whenever it rained...or whenever he thought about her. He couldn’t imagine ever wanting another girl, and they’d only been dating for like a month, if you could call it dating. Mitsuru and Akihiko had been serious for much longer. He didn’t want to be the one to tell here there was no hope left.

He had to ask five nurses before they would help him out, but eventually Junpei was able to narrow down where Akihiko was being kept. When he got close enough to hear shouting coming from the room, he nearly wept tears of joy.

“YOU WEREN’T SUPPOSED TO CALL ANYONE!” Akihiko was alive!

Junpei waited until someone left the room without closing the door behind him and slid in like he was aiming for home base – much to the amusement and consternation of the people still inside.

“Sir, you can’t be in here, the patient-” the doctor warned.

“Let ‘em stay,” insisted Akihiko. He still sounded groggy from the anesthetic. “Need to talk t’him.” His whole side was completely covered in bandages, his arm in a sling. Junpei could never remember ever seeing Akihiko this listless. There was no color left in him at all. _He must’ve lost a lot of blood._ His eyes were glossy, and it looked like he was doing his best to focus on the one Junpei that was probably the right one.

The doctor sighed and glared at Junpei. “Don’t agitate the patient.”

 _Pretty sure it’s not me he’s pissed at, but whatever._ Junpei took that extra moment to collect his thoughts. Akihiko tanked a bullet; he couldn’t go crying in front of him like a girl! “Now what'd you have to go and do something stupid for, man?” he tried to joke, “Got us all worried sick!”

Poor Akihiko tried to laugh, but it sounded more like a cough. “Mitsuru?”

“Yeah, she’s...not taking it too well.”

“Why did you have to call her? I **told** you not to call her!”

“Kirijo-san is your emergency contact,” the doctor said, with an attitude that implied they’d had this conversation three times now.

“ _ **Did you have to mention guns?!** **”**_ Akihiko really was getting agitated now.

“It’s okay, we were all with her. Yukari’s not leaving her side.” Mitsuru would kill Junpei if he made things worse. “Can’t you get him something?”

“I’ll have a nurse bring another morphine drip.” There, got the damn doctor out.

Akihiko sighed and grumbled something with garbled profanities, but he seemed glad to see Junpei. “Why’d you make it look so easy?”

“Hurts like a bitch, doesn’t it?”

More cough-laughing. “I lived.” He grimaced. “Shinji was just a punk.”

“Senpai,” It had been years, but it slipped out like it was yesterday in his worry, “What the hell happened?”

“I was reckless.” He probably wouldn’t remember once the drugs wore off. “Bunch of drug runners were using street kids to mug people for cash. We chased one down, but he led us into an ambush. Everyone said I was lucky they only winged me.” He shifted uncomfortably. “I was really hoping to leave boxing on a high note.”

“Ugh, it’s that bad?”

“Bullet went right through.” He flapped helplessly at a cup on the side table, so Junpei held it out for him. “But it tore its way out, and it was old and filthy. I’m on a bunch of antibiotic shit I can’t even pronounce. They said I lost about a gallon of blood, and it’s a miracle I can feel all my fingers.”

“Good thing it was the wrong arm, huh?” Junpei said before he could stop himself.

Akihiko nearly spit out his water. “That **would** be the first thing you’d think of.”

Junpei's phone began buzzing a hole in his pocket. “Junpei!” Yukari’s stressed-out voice came through, “Did you catch Senpai we tried to stop her but she said she had to throw up and then she took off and I don’t think she’s okay but she’s going to the hospital and what’s happened with Akihiko-senpai!!?!?”

Akihiko managed an actual laugh. “She escaped.”

“OH MY GOD SENPAI! YOU’RE OKAY??”

“He’ll live.” Luckily, Junpei had already removed the phone from his ear. “Hurry up and get here. I’ll see if I can catch Mitsuru-senpai.”

* * *

Akihiko had been drifting in and out of sleep for a while. People came and went, but he couldn’t tell you who they were or what they wanted. The drugs left him spacey. He wasn’t entirely sure if he was lucid when the door opened and something resembling Mitsuru came in. She stopped at the foot of the bed and stared at him, looking as bad as he felt.

Akihiko studied her. “You okay?”

In lieu of an answer, Mitsuru – he was positive it was Mitsuru now – came over and climbed gingerly into the bed, adhering herself to his less-than-shitty side. Akihiko managed to move his IV so he could just rest his elbow on her head, gripping her hair.

It sucked not being able to hold her any better than this.

Mitsuru spoke only in whispers. “You promised you wouldn’t leave me.”

“I’m still here,” he replied, “It’ll take more than this to knock me out of the ring.”

The entire bed shook as Mitsuru sobbed. All Akihiko could do was pet her weakly. She’d been the only thing on his mind the entire ride to the hospital. It killed him to think of her getting a generic phone call. Another gun took another loved one away. Only the fear of abandoning Mitsuru could give him the strength to keep going.

A bandage on her arm confused him, and he was about to ask her where it came from when the doctor and all of their friends thundered in.

“Senpai! Oh, thank goodness you’re all right!”

“It’s good to see ya breathin’, Akihiko-san!”

“You aren’t getting rid of me that easily.” He was sad to lose Mitsuru’s warmth (when was she ever this warm?) but he kept a hand on her leg as she sat up.

“Apparently not,” the doctor said, the friendliest he’d been since they wheeled Akihiko out of surgery. “Your rate of recovery is astounding. I have some results to share with you...but perhaps I should start with Kirijo-san?”

He couldn’t get the words out, but he could count on Yukari to get there for him. “What’s wrong with Senpai?”

The doctor smiled. “The blood work came back, and I’m assuming congratulations are in order?” Mitsuru gasped and a hand flew up to her mouth. “You are roughly one month into your pregnancy.” Everyone went nuts.

Pregnant?

Mitsuru washaving a **baby?** _ **His**_ **baby?**

He couldn’t remember what happened a month ago...it might have been that commendation...they’d been excited for Akihiko to finally move in with her, and no one was thinking about being careful...

OH GOD, HE ALMOST LEFT HER ALL ALONE WITH HER VERY FIRST BABY!

“D-Doc,” he croaked, “please tell me I’ve still got two arms.” He couldn’t stop the tears from falling. He was going to be a father and someone up there gave him the chance to do it. His voice broke as he added, “I wanna hold my kid!”

“I’m sure that you’ll be back to normal by then,” the doctor assured him. “We’ve got those results back as well, and while you’ll have some extensive scarring,” even Mitsuru managed to laugh at that one, “we found no signs of infection. If you take it easy – and something tells me you’ll have ample reason to – there’s no reason you can’t regain full mobility.”

“Oh, I’m so glad everything worked out for the best!” cried Fuuka.

“Now we have an excuse for a REAL party!” said Ken.

“Aww, man, you guys shoulda brought the sushi!” Junpei whined, and everyone mocked him.

“I’d better text Kikuno the good news.” Yukari pulled out her cell phone, but gasped when she looked at the display. “Oh, my god, you guys – did you remember what day it is?”

“It is the 5th of May,” Aigis recited.

Yukari laughed, “It’s actually Children’s Day!”

Okay, that was the best timing ever.

“You didn’t have to get me anything, honey!” Akihiko joked as he tried (vainly) to grab Mitsuru for a hug. She swatted him away, then changed her mind and practically headbutted him. “ **Hey**.” he said, giving her hair a tug, “No more taking off on the bike anymore, you hear me? Neither of us are going to be pulling any dumbass stunts now. It's domesticity all the way.”

“Is that a promise?” Mitsuru poked his bad arm.

“OW!” She was gonna get it for that. “Mitsuru, I’d give my right arm to see you actually changing diapers.”

Yeah, he deserved all of those groans.

“I’m going to vomit now,” grumbled Mitsuru.

“It’s not morning.”

“I don’t care.”

Akihiko let them all laugh. This had been the craziest Golden Week since that Inaba tournament, but they’d made it through that one, and they were going to make it through this one. Besides, it would make a great story to tell his kid one day.

Then again, any kid made from him and Mitsuru was probably going to have even crazier adventures of their own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part of this came from another idea I had that didn’t go anywhere: Mitsuru not knowing how to tell Akihiko she was pregnant, and Yukari gives her the idea to give him a themed gift for every day in Golden Week, figuring he’d catch on by the time Children’s Day arrived. 
> 
> I hope you’ve been enjoying my offerings for Akimitsu Week 2021!


End file.
